Secondly, just how good is the laptop on offer? Will it handle the sort of workload you are planning to throw at it? If you are just surfing the web and checking your emails, then a netbook or cheap laptop may be just the thing for you… however, if you are wanting to play serious games, or edit multimedia files, then perhaps you need something a little more powerful.

If you have thought about the above two points, and you want to know what is a good deal for you, then be sure to shop around before deciding what deal to go with. The net can be a great place for doing this, as it can save you much footwork!

Another final thing to consider, is what about value for money. What would be the cost of a mobile broadband connection without a ‘free’ laptop, the cost of buying the laptop separately. Add these figures up, and also add up the total cost of your broadband package, and see which is cheaper.

Some people use the ‘free’ laptop offers as a form of cheap credit, and if this suits you then there are plenty of offers available for you.

Most of the mobile phone networks provide such offers these days, as well as some of the larger stores (Tesco have an offer we wrote about recently, for example).

Whatever you decide, ukcheapbroadband.com would like to remind it’s readers that it is very important to make sure you full understand the implications of any contracts before you sign, and you should also be aware of any ‘cooling off period’ you are entitled to.

Offering free laptops in exchange for mobile broadband contracts is nothing new, but now Tesco are getting in on the act with some pretty good deals on offer.

The deals are available at 50 Tesco stores across the country, being sold alongside the supermarkets mobile phones. Retailers such a PC World, Staples and Carphone Warehouse are also offering free laptop deals with similar prices to Tesco.

Although this could potentially save you money, be aware that the word ‘free’ should be approached with caution. You’ll be on a higher priced monthly contract than someone who just has a broadband deal without the laptop, and you’ll be locked into the contract for two years – quite some time for many net users.

The best way to think of these deals is not as free but as a pay monthly contract. Doing the research is quite easy. Check the price of the laptop online, then check the price of the mobile deal and add up how much they come to separately. You’ll normally find you’ll save around £60-£100 combining the offer, plus there’s the advantage of not having to pay up front.

Lance Batchelor, Chief Executive of Tesco Mobile stated:

“We believe that mobile broadband is going to really take off in 2009 and we want to help our customers get the very best deals, making it easier than ever for them to stay connected wherever they are.”

Mobile Broadband is available throughout the country, often even in rural locations where normal internet access isn’t possible. However, you’ll need to check your area on any of the main provider’s online maps in order to see if you can get good coverage.

Three’s Free Laptop Deals

One of the most popular laptop deals around seem to come from Three Mobile – The have various free laptop/netbook with broadband deals, click here to see them.